


Of Guest Lists and Appropriate Attire

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [64]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 16:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3902524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Game:</p><p>Cullen and Evelyn's wedding plans hit a snag a few months before their wedding day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Guest Lists and Appropriate Attire

In the six months after Corypheus’ defeat, Evelyn stayed busy closing remaining rifts, defeating high dragons, searching for Solas, and forging formal alliances between the Inquisition and countries throughout Thedas. What she hadn’t been doing, however, was planning her wedding which was scheduled to occur in two months time at the Grand Cathedral in Val Royeaux. Until Leliana had assumed the position of Chantry leader and taken the name Divine Victoria two weeks before, the Chantry had prohibited mages from marrying, so Evelyn superstitiously felt like she might jinx things by being involved in wedding preparations. 

Josephine had been overjoyed to take over as wedding coordinator, and Evelyn had largely let her have free rein with a few caveats. Evelyn insisted that she be allowed to choose her own attendants, dress, and flowers. She also demanded that there be ridiculous amounts of cake and honey wine at the reception. Beyond that she couldn’t have cared less about the details because what mattered was who she was marrying and that they would be able to live together openly as a couple for the rest of their lives.

Cullen was similarly disinterested in wedding preparations but had become preoccupied with directing renovations and additions to the farmhouse in Honnleath that his parents and siblings had given to Evelyn and him. After accompanying Cullen on one of his many excursions to check on the farm, Dorian had dubbed the property the “love shack” for its “quaint and rustic Ferelden charm.” Evelyn teased Cullen that she hadn’t seen him so fixated on something since he had tried to track down Samson - a jest that he answered by showing her color swatches for their bedroom walls.

Both Cullen and Evelyn were utterly surprised, then, when Josephine called them into her office for an emergency meeting regarding the wedding. “I have been working on the final guest list for your wedding. We had to wait to officially announce the ceremony until Divine Victoria was named head of the Chantry. Of course, everyone in Thedas already knows of your engagement and the wedding itself, but we couldn’t formally send out invitations until now,” Josephine explained. Evelyn noticed that Josephine was in the agitated pique that sometimes beset her when faced with a troubling diplomatic dilemma. 

Cullen and Evelyn both rolled their eyes at the political nuances of inviting people to their wedding. The people that they cared about being there wouldn’t miss the event even if an archdemon showed up. Beyond that, the other guests were simply seat fillers in their estimation. When Cullen said as much to Josephine, she became quite frustrated and nearly raised her voice when responding.

“I think you will both care about what I’m trying to tell you,” Josephine said in a huff and then spoke in the patient tone that she adopted when speaking with particularly difficult or dense nobles. “The Inquisition has many supporters throughout Thedas, and the nobility place great import on securing an invitation to your wedding or at least one of the balls we’re hosting in its honor. I have handled many requests for invitations from kings to minor lords on your behalf, but I have recently received one that I do not know how to address. I feel as if it should be your choice whether we extend this particular house an invitation.”

“Josephine, who could want to come to our wedding that has you so rattled?” Evelyn questioned.

“Your parents, Inquisitor,” Josephine answered, and both Evelyn and Cullen paled in response.

“No,” Cullen said firmly, and Evelyn looked at him in surprise.

“Shouldn’t this be more my choice, Cullen?” she asked.

“I can’t believe you’d consider having them there. You haven’t heard a word from them for nearly twenty years. It’s convenient that they want to reestablish ties now that you’re one of the most powerful people in Thedas. I won’t stand to see you used like that.” Cullen snapped.

“Even if they are just pursuing this for political gains, I’d still like to see them,” Evelyn said quietly.

“Ev, I’ve seen the heartbreak in your eyes when you talk about them leaving you at the Circle. Why are you willing to open yourself up to more hurt?”

“Because they’re my family...”

“I would hardly call anyone that abandons their five year old ‘family’,” Cullen spat.

“And yet you enforced the rules that made them do that for much of your life,” Evelyn remarked pointedly.

Cullen growled a little at her accusation and the reopening of the festering wound that was their relationship to the Circle in their prior lives. “You’re right, of course,” he admitted. “Perhaps we could meet them, though, before the wedding, so any issues that arise won’t mar the day for us.”

Evelyn agreed. “Josephine, can you arrange to have them visit Skyhold?”

“Of course. I will see to it right away, and for what it’s worth, I think you are being very gracious,” Josephine stated.

*******************************

Krem struggled to speak to Evelyn with the straight pins he had between his lips, “Oo eed oo eat or. I ant ake ih in enyhore.”

“What?” Evelyn asked.

Krem spit the straight pins out into his hand and repeated himself, “I said that you need to eat more. I can’t take it in anymore.”

Evelyn looked at herself in the full length mirror. Her wedding dress had fit perfectly four months earlier when she had found it in a small shop in Denerim, but nervousness about meeting her parents had stolen her appetite for the past month. The dress now hung loosely on her frame even with Krem having pinned it as much as the lace and beading would allow.

“I could try to use the material to make a similar dress in a smaller size, but I honestly don’t think it’s healthy for you to be so thin,” Krem said. “Besides, I think the Commander appreciates it when you have a few curves.”

“I know. I am trying to make myself eat, but I’m so agitated that I end up burning it off pacing. Maybe Cullen was right. I should have just declined their request.”

Krem put his hand on Evelyn’s shoulder, “If it helps any, I do understand how hard it is to not be able to live up to parental expectations. My dad accepted me for who I am, but my mom never could.”

Evelyn took Krem’s hand a squeezed. “She missed out.”

“Well, so did your parents.”

Dorian came up the stairs to Evelyn’s room. “I know alterations are incredibly important. No Tevinter worth his salt doesn’t appreciate a good tailor, but I’m afraid you’ll have to cut this session short. Charter wanted me to inform you that your parents will arrive within the hour. By the way, good choice on the new spymaster. She doesn’t make me get goosebumps like Leliana did.”

“That’s because you don’t know her well,” Evelyn teased.

“Ah, I must have missed the part in the job description specifying that being terrifying was a requirement. Good to know,” Dorian snarked.

“Just let me know if you want me to try to remake the dress, or if you think you’ll put on a few pounds before the ceremony,” Krem said while collecting his things.

“Thanks, Krem. I’ll either feel much better or worse after the next few days,” Evelyn replied. 

Dorian walked to Evelyn’s closet. “I think you should wear something that screams, ‘I’m a beautiful mage. Hear me roar.’ What do you think?” he asked. When Evelyn didn’t respond, Dorian turned around to see her slumped on the floor in front of the mirror crying. “No, no, no... there are to be no tears. I’m no good at handling emotional displays.”

Evelyn snubbed and apologized then said, “Just pick whatever you want. I don’t care.”

“Oh no, I’ve played this game with you before. ‘Pick whatever you want, Dorian. I don’t care.‘ Five dresses and thirty minutes later you choose what you had in mind in the first place, so let’s cut to the chase. What outfit is the winner?”

“I think I just want to wear my beige leathers.”

“You always wear those hideous things.”

“They’re comfortable, and Cassandra picked them out for me.”

“Having Cassandra’s stamp of approval when it comes to fashion shouldn’t be reassuring to you. Sorry, but I can’t allow it.”

“Fine. Then I want to wear the blue dress with the cinched waist.”

“Pretty if a bit plain. So why this one?” Dorian asked.

“I wore it the first time Cullen took me to visit Honnleath.”

“An excellent reason - although Cullen will likely remember this dress as the one that gave him an extraordinary case of blue balls.”

“I didn’t need to know that right before I wear it to see my parents for the first time in twenty years.”

“Well, I’m just saying you could perhaps remember to see to your Commander’s needs tonight rather than working him up and then stealing a cookie from him instead.”

“I can’t believe he told you all of that.”

“Chess is a very dull game. Cullen says a lot of things when we play."

**Author's Note:**

> This idea struck me today, so here it is. : )


End file.
